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A man called the Nevada County Sheriff's Department shortly after noon Monday, reporting that a friend, a man in his 50s, had not returned as planned, and he feared the man may have been caught up in an avalanche that occurred at the ski resort sometime around 9:30 a.m., said Sgt. Bob Jakobs.

Surrounding ski resorts were called to help search for the man as Nevada County deputies and search and rescue crews began to comb Donner Ski Ranch.

"Search crews have just located the body of somebody," Jakobs said on Monday afternoon.

At approximately 1:30 p.m., a Sugar Bowl Ski Patrol canine alerted search crews to an area at the base of the slide's debris field, Jakobs said. The body of a man matching the description of the missing man was quickly located approximately 2 feet to 3 feet under the snow where the canine had alerted.

It is believed the subject is the individual reported missing earlier in the day, Jakobs said. Identification is being withheld pending notification of next-of-kin.